A parametric search is a search technique that identifies a desired product by using attributes, commonly referred to as “parameters,” of that product. Parameters are supplied by end-users to define the searches. An end-user is a person who performs a parametric search to identify a desired product. Each parameter that is supplied by the end-user potentially narrows the number of products that satisfy the search. Generally, end-users provide search parameters, examine the search results for those parameters, and provide additional parameters to narrow the search. As a result, parametric searches are iterative searches in which an end-user progressively adds more and more parameters to the search until finding the desired product or products.
Because of this iterative process, parametric searches are well suited for computer applications. In fact, parametric search engines are currently being used for searching electronic catalogs on the Internet. An electronic catalog is a series of data records that have been logically grouped into various categories. A parametric search engine searches through the hierarchy and structure of the data records within the electronic databases to find products having the specified parameters.
One approach for designing parametric search engines is to tailor the parametric search engine for the structure and hierarchy of a specific electronic database (i.e. for a particular data record definition). This approach, however, is undesirable because a new parametric search engine must be created, or an existing parametric search engine must be modified, for different electronic databases. Furthermore, if the hierarchy or structure of the data records within the electronic database is modified, the parametric search engine must be modified as well. Such an approach is inefficient in terms of both time and resources.
Another approach for designing parametric search engines is to create a parametric search engine that searches a specific database format, such as Microsoft's SQL Server or Oracle's 8i database. This approach allows the parametric search engine to be used for multiple applications, as long as those applications use the specified database format. After the electronic database has been properly formatted, parametric search engines of this type import the electronic database. If the structure or hierarchy of the data within the electronic database is later changed or modified, parametric search engines of this type must then re-import the modified database before performing a parametric search on the modified database.
Thus, it would be desirable to have systems and methods for providing parametric search engines that dynamically search electronic databases without re-importing the database or converting the database to a standard format and that have interfaces that can be configured dynamically.